TRUST
Legislative Agenda
State
-
Support the full statutory allocation to the ROADS Fund including raising the $590 million cap to a level offsetting continued inflation related to maintenance, materials and manpower that is encompassing ODOT's mission. In an effort to continue the replacement and rehabilitation of state highways and bridges, TRUST supports the statutory allocation, and any corresponding cap raise, as a core business function of the state.
-
Motor vehicle fees redirected to transportation. A core TRUST principle is all transportation-derived revenues are used strictly for transportation. TRUST supports returning 100% of all motor fuel taxes and the remaining allocation of vehicle-related fees to transportation purposes, and encourages the appropriate allocation of motor vehicle fees to state highways, county roads and municipal streets taking into consideration previous vehicle-related fees and general fund allocations. TRUST will continue to support this concept as a matter of sound public policy.
-
Protect full allocation to the ODOT Eight-Year Highway and Bridge Construction Work Plan. TRUST’s top priority is ensuring funding remains at a level where no current projects are interrupted, no planned projects cut and no motor fuel taxes and vehicle-related transportation fees diverted from ODOT’s investment strategy which includes the Eight-Year Plan, the Asset Preservation Plan and highway maintenance. TRUST opposes the diversion of funds from ODOT’s general budget and/or the Eight-Year Plan to aid budget deficits.
-
Infrastructure bond financing. During uncertain budget times TRUST supports infrastructure bond financing to maintain critical transportation funding and projects, and vehemently opposes the diversion of motor fuel taxes and vehicle-related transportation fees to non-transportation uses of state government.
-
Support full funding to County Improvement for Roads & Bridges (CIRB) Five-Year Construction Work Plan. To rehabilitate county bridges and highways, TRUST supports the CIRB program and its revolving fund to be used strictly for CIRB transportation projects with no interruption of current projects, no elimination of planned projects and no diversion of funding to the state budget.
-
Protect transportation-dedicated revolving funds. The funds are intended to fund transportation infrastructure projects and should not be diverted for other governmental purposes.
-
Renovation of Ports of Entries – Weigh Stations. TRUST supports methods to complete the construction of Oklahoma’s new ports of entries in order to protect highways and bridges from overweight freight. Doing so will result in additional revenues from fines and fees due to increased monitoring of overweight commercial traffic. TRUST also supports returning the one-cent transportation user fee from the Petroleum Storage Tank Indemnity Fund to transportation needs to service the bond debt. This allows for no revenue impact or increased taxes while utilizing transportation fees to support transportation needs.
-
Innovative funding for transportation. TRUST supports innovative and alternative transportation funding including the Fair Miles OK program that would implement a vehicle miles travel (VMT) system to offset declining state fuel tax revenues. Any alternative funding program must be revenue equitable but not punitive, and for the intended purpose of establishing equitable mobility through a comprehensive approach to increase overall transportation funding.
FEDERAL
-
Support long-term funding of Highway Trust Fund and federal surface transportation programs. Long-term funding provides stability to the Highway Trust Fund, enabling states to more accurately plan future projects while providing regulatory relief.
-
Support Tribal Transportation Program. Each year tribal transportation partnerships across the state contribute close to $60 million to highway and bridge construction. TRUST supports the current apportionment formula of Tribal Transportation Program federal funds and supports expansion of the Tribal Transportation Program and tribal partnerships.